Understanding Revelation

Peace and Safety

“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3)

Many churches today use 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 to support the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture, focusing on the phrase “the thief in the night.” However, what is often overlooked is the key phrase: “the Day of the Lord.”

The Role of the Two Witnesses

During the Great Tribulation, God’s two witnesses will prophesy and announce plagues upon the world. After three and a half years of ministry, God will allow the Antichrist to kill them.

When the two witnesses are killed, those who opposed their message will celebrate, believing they have finally overcome the torment brought on by the prophets’ prophecies. The world, relieved from their unsettling presence, will rejoice, thinking that peace and safety have returned. They will even exchange gifts in celebration.

But this moment of apparent peace will be short-lived.

The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses

Three and a half days after their death, a miraculous event occurs: the two witnesses will be resurrected and ascend to heaven in full view of the world. This dramatic moment will signal the return of Christ.

The “Day of the Lord”

The Bible often refers to the return of Jesus as “the Day of the Lord.” This phrase appears 25 times in the Old Testament and always points to the coming judgment of God. While the wicked may feel secure, believing they have achieved peace, the truth is that the “Day of the Lord” will bring sudden destruction upon them.

This peace the wicked feel is temporary. During the Great Tribulation, God’s two witnesses will bring torment to the wicked through the plagues they unleash. Despite their attempts to silence the witnesses, God will protect them until their testimony is complete.

The two witnesses will prophesy for three and a half years, wearing sackcloth. When their work is finished, God will allow the Beast (the Antichrist) to kill them. Their bodies will lie in the streets of Jerusalem—the city spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where Jesus was crucified. The people of the world will rejoice, thinking they have triumphed over God’s messengers.

But after three and a half days, God will call them to life, and the whole world will witness their resurrection and ascension into heaven. This event will mark the coming of the true Day of the Lord.

What Happens Next?

After the two witnesses ascend to heaven, several events unfold:

  1. The Dead in Christ Will Rise: Those who have died in faith will be resurrected.
  2. The Wicked Realize the Truth: Those who accepted the mark of the Beast will understand that the true God is coming.
  3. People Will Hide in Fear: The wicked will seek refuge in caves, hoping to escape God’s wrath.
  4. God’s Wrath Is Unleashed: The wicked will face God’s judgment through the bowl and vial judgments described in Revelation.

As Revelation 11:6-12 describes:

“These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. People from every tribe, language, and nation will see their dead bodies for three and a half days and will not allow them to be put in graves. Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and exchange gifts, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.” (Revelation 11:6-12)

The False Sense of Security

In summary, the false sense of peace and safety experienced by the wicked will be short-lived. The sudden return of Christ will bring judgment, fulfilling the prophecy of the Day of the Lord. This is a reminder that true peace and safety can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ.